Movie Review: Megamind – 3D Cartoon Craziness

Last night, DreamWorks provided me the opportunity to dive into its latest 3D cinema creation, Megamind. Tasteful use of the 3D process, witty dialog, and enough high-level jokes and subtlety creates a movie to keep the whole family amused. There’s a passel of talent up there on the screen, with Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill and David Cross voicing the mayhem.

Ferrell plays the brilliant but flawed antihero, and Pitt is his goody two shoes nemesis. Tina Fey is the damsel never in distress, while Hill is the vessel for villain Megamind’s plotting. David Cross lends excellent comic relief as Megamind’s piscine henchfish. Co–executive producer Ben Stiller sneaks in as Megamind’s erudite and personable alter ego.

The score, by Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe, lends the right melodic touches without overwhelming the on–screen action. Also adding to the aural excitement, the sound design and mix both prop up the cartoon antics while adding subtle and goofy easter eggs for those who aren’t completely transported by the visuals. Avoiding cliché, the writing is simple and appropriate, and steers clear of sophomoric humor. A throw-away hommage to The Karate Kid and spooks of Superman: The Movie are hilarious nods to the culture vultures in the audience.

My local theater used RealD projection and, though I usually don’t find that process as satisfying as say, Dolby 3D, this presentation was the best RealD yet. There was no discernible inter–ocular crosstalk, where the wrong eye sees what it isn’t supposed to. The 3D effect was solid, contributing to the sense of depth and spaciousness without straining my eyes or brain. One scene where the misguided Tighten holds the strong yet giving Roxanne hostage at the top of a skyscraper actually had me squirming in my seat. I was thinking, “No Roxanne, don’t step off the edge!”

All in all, a polished, well constructed piece of entertainment for all. If the mood strikes for a fun and frenetic 90 minutes in a dark room with your hundred best buddies, head to your local multiplex for a dose of…Megamind!

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About Oliver Masciarotte

A graduate of the Lowell Institute of MIT, Oliver A. Masciarotte has spent over 30 years immersed in entertainment tech, working with top companies & clients on marketing, production and product development…More at www.seneschal.net/about/